LISTEN – National Search Underway For New ‘Voice of the Griz’

After 31 years, there will be a new 'Voice of the Griz' behind the microphone when the Montana Grizzlies take the field in the fall in Washington Grizzly Stadium.

Vice President for Broadcast Operations with Learfield Sports, Tom Boman, said there's simply no way to 'fill the shoes' of the legendary Mick Holien, but a national search is already underway.

"Mick was there for a long time, so it makes the challenge a little tougher," Boman said. "You need to find somebody that, of course, can do play-by-play, do right by the school, and of course if you can find ties to the school or the community, that's a plus, as well."

Boman outlines the qualifications for a new football and men's basketball play-by-play voice.

"The applicant must have at least three years of NCAA football and basketball play-by-play experience, or NFL or nationally syndicated play-by-play," he said. "The ideal candidate must be willing to relocate or already reside in the Missoula area. All applications must be submitted by April 24th, Then, I'll narrow it down to the top 10 or five, and submit those names to the University of Montana Athletic Department. We hope to have a final selection by early June."

Boman said when all is said and done, he hopes to have a solid, experienced play-by-play announcer who, hopefully will stay with the program for many years.

"TV is a business, but play-by-play is an art," he said. "We're trying to find someone who is masterful on the air, and who can also bring the social media factor to the position, by using Facebook, Twitter, and other tools to communicate with the fans. There's a lot of new technology that's really transforming the business, so we're looking for that, as well."

Holien was honored by the University of Montana at the final home basketball game of the season for his over 31 years of service as the 'Voice of the Griz'.